EpiPen - Not so expensive...

[SteveandViv]

In other words, there's more to using an Epipen than just buying one and putting it in your kit.   Before you worry about carrying the tools, learn how to use them; do a first aid course.

And I would like to note I have. The advanced St Johns course. We also did all the palliative care for my wifes Mum a she was dying of cancer and were shown how to inject, use syringe drivers insert drip lines etc. I'm also pretty good at stitching and also carry xylocaine etc.

I think these skills are pretty handy if your on you own and away for immediate help

[Patr80l]

And I would like to note I have. The advanced St Johns course. We also did all the palliative care for my wifes Mum a she was dying of cancer and were shown how to inject, use syringe drivers insert drip lines etc. I'm also pretty good at stitching and also carry xylocaine etc.

I think these skills are pretty handy if your on you own and away for immediate help

I think first aid skills are essential if you're on your own and away from immediate help.

Hi Steve, I figured you had some skills & knowledge.   I was thinking more of others.   It would be like me asking the forum if I should take welding rods away on my next trip.  The obvious question; do I know how to weld?

What used to be referred to as "Level 2 First Aid" is now known as "Advanced First Aid".   All training organizations teach the same, standard syllabus.   It covers CPR, care of the unconscious patient, wounds and bleeding, broken bones and sprains, burns, snakebite, other bites and poisons, choking, anaphylaxis, hyper & hypothermia etc.   That's the sort of stuff that can happen when you're remote from medical care.   Knowing what to do can be the difference between a good and bad outcome, between a trivial inconvenience and a disaster.   It's also the standard qualification for OH&S/workplace First Aiders, so good to have on your CV.   Courses are usually presented over a couple of days and cost around $100 to $150, depending on the provider.   (StJ's is not the cheapest).

It's not going to replace doing a first aid course, but the WA POLICE ACADEMY BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL GUIDE
AIDS TO SURVIVAL is a good reference.    You can download it for free at http://www.nomadiclife.com.au/safety/files/Bush%20Survival%20Manual.pdf    It's 120 pages but I have a copy on my laptop and iPhone.   (For iPhone, GoodReader is a free app that will open pdf, Word & other files)

[Fivid]

We have to have first aid for work.  Renewed mine last year through Red Cross and it was still called level 2 but they included use of defib machines which I had never done before.  There is a place locally which charges $140 for level 2 course (or whatever it is called now) but you have to do a fair bit online in the week leading up to going to do the course and then attendance time for the course is only one day.  This could be of use to people who are or have workers like we do who live all around the area and have to travel to do the course.

[Juggs]

anaphylaxis can also occur with food intolernce

theres alergys and intolerences, i have food intolerences to amines and salyciclates
basically over a few years i got stomach upsets a lot and june 2009 i woke one night with red swollen palms diarreha and my face started to swell and got hives
wife wasnt home so i rushed to the cupboard and swigged a few teapoons of phenergen we keep for the kids tarvel sickness
went to hospital steroids more antihisamines youll be right

2 nights late glass of wine cheese crackers special cuddle in the shower and i wake to find myself on the floor of the shower covered in crap and vomit and to lady ambos trying to drag me out

they gave me adreniline for shock which then put my heart into atrial vibulation ie 180bpm bootm od heart stopped and top went nuts
6 days in hospital sayng my heart was going ot pop

18 months later it turned out to be food intolerances i had developed and i have to be very careful with my diet
but anything can trigger it perfume chemical smells over eating certain food groups

my body created mass histamine from the triggers and over i go, but the epi pen contains adreniline which they think i may be alergic too but they dont want to test the theory lol

epi pen is too be used when the situation has gone beyond my control and im about to possibly lose conciousness or have respritory issues
i control the minor side effects with zyrtec a antihistamine sometimes up to 2-4 times the recomended dose

antihistamines take up to 15 mins to work and the tablets work faster then the liquid from my experience and information from prince alfred alergy clinic

sorry for the ramble but anaphylaxis can occur from non alergy sources and recomend if people think they have alergys get a referal to prince alfred alergy unit as they no their stuff and food intolerence can sometimes be misdiagnosed as a single source allergy

[SteveandViv]

I think first aid skills are essential if you're on your own and away from immediate help.

Hi Steve, I figured you had some skills & knowledge.   I was thinking more of others.   It would be like me asking the forum if I should take welding rods away on my next trip.  The obvious question; do I know how to weld?

What used to be referred to as "Level 2 First Aid" is now known as "Advanced First Aid".   All training organizations teach the same, standard syllabus.   It covers CPR, care of the unconscious patient, wounds and bleeding, broken bones and sprains, burns, snakebite, other bites and poisons, choking, anaphylaxis, hyper & hypothermia etc.   That's the sort of stuff that can happen when you're remote from medical care.   Knowing what to do can be the difference between a good and bad outcome, between a trivial inconvenience and a disaster.   It's also the standard qualification for OH&S/workplace First Aiders, so good to have on your CV.   Courses are usually presented over a couple of days and cost around $100 to $150, depending on the provider.   (StJ's is not the cheapest).

It's not going to replace doing a first aid course, but the WA POLICE ACADEMY BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL GUIDE
AIDS TO SURVIVAL is a good reference.    You can download it for free at http://www.nomadiclife.com.au/safety/files/Bush%20Survival%20Manual.pdf    It's 120 pages but I have a copy on my laptop and iPhone.   (For iPhone, GoodReader is a free app that will open pdf, Word & other files)

Some times it is frustrating for you guys as there are so many variables, I know that..

as for  It would be like me asking the forum if I should take welding rods away on my next trip

Of course you should. You never know who will come along and be able to use them to help you, I suppose that was a bit of my point. It maybe over the top but we take everything away with us, antibiotics and all mentioned above. Funny thing is we never needed much. Sure a few Lomitil here and there and a tube of Bactroban but in the end we avoided needing to go into town and we were by ourselves for 6 Months as we did our trip. I think we did OK

[dazzler]

anaphylaxis can also occur with food intolernce

theres alergys and intolerences, i have food intolerences to amines and salyciclates
basically over a few years i got stomach upsets a lot and june 2009 i woke one night with red swollen palms diarreha and my face started to swell and got hives
wife wasnt home so i rushed to the cupboard and swigged a few teapoons of phenergen we keep for the kids tarvel sickness
went to hospital steroids more antihisamines youll be right

2 nights late glass of wine cheese crackers special cuddle in the shower and i wake to find myself on the floor of the shower covered in crap and vomit and to lady ambos trying to drag me out

they gave me adreniline for shock which then put my heart into atrial vibulation ie 180bpm bootm od heart stopped and top went nuts
6 days in hospital sayng my heart was going ot pop

18 months later it turned out to be food intolerances i had developed and i have to be very careful with my diet
but anything can trigger it perfume chemical smells over eating certain food groups

my body created mass histamine from the triggers and over i go, but the epi pen contains adreniline which they think i may be alergic too but they dont want to test the theory lol

epi pen is too be used when the situation has gone beyond my control and im about to possibly lose conciousness or have respritory issues
i control the minor side effects with zyrtec a antihistamine sometimes up to 2-4 times the recomended dose

antihistamines take up to 15 mins to work and the tablets work faster then the liquid from my experience and information from prince alfred alergy clinic

sorry for the ramble but anaphylaxis can occur from non alergy sources and recomend if people think they have alergys get a referal to prince alfred alergy unit as they no their stuff and food intolerence can sometimes be misdiagnosed as a single source allergy

Hey brother!  First time I have heard a story so similar to mine.

Did your palms itch horribly when they swelled?  Swelling palms were the start of my probs.

Did you do the elimination diet?  I did and put on about 4kilos!

For a long while I ate pancakes with maple syrup, bacon and eggs......wooohooooo ..... tasty

Lots of pear dishes (pear chutney), soda water with citric acid for flavour and magic cordial instead of soft drink. 

All dishes out of Sue Dengates "Fed Up" book.

I am not real good at sticking to the diet but luckily my wife makes me feel stupid if I dont.

The zertec is great.  I also carry Prednisolene tablets that i take if I get a weird swelling start to happen.  Works about 50% of the time.

Do you find beer makes you crook?

cheers

dazza

[Juggs]

yep my palsm were red raw like poor old jesus on the cross

i couldnt have salyiclates so bacon etc was out and still is
i went from 74kg to 61 on the elimination diet

beer is fermented hence salycilates so ginger beer vinegar soy sauce are all out for me

[dazzler]

Just a quick update mainly for Juggs but may be of interest to others.

About 3 months ago my consulting physician put me onto a drug called KETOTIFEN.  Apparently it is a mask cell inhibitor that works similar to zertec but across all the cells that may fire not just the ones that zertec mask.  (thats my laymans explanation)

I have used it at the rate of 2mg (2 tablets) each day for about 10 weeks and am yet to have a reaction.  Shaking at night has also gone.  There are studies that some people actually become 'cured' after 3 - 6 months.

Only issue is that you have to import them as they are not available in oz.  I get mine by prescription from NZ at $100 per 100 tablets.  It is legal to import for your own use. 

So there you go. 

cheers

[Patr80l]

Anaphylaxis is defined as a severe allergic reaction.   So there is no such thing as non-allergic anaphylaxis.   Antihistamines (like ketotifen) have a role to play for allergic reactions but are no substitute for adrenaline if it's anaphylaxis.

An antihistamine blocks the effect of histamine at the receptor.    Mast cells release stuff like histamine etc when annoyed, so something that is also a mast cell stabiliser has a double action.

[dazzler]

Thanks Patro80l

You are correct, the ketotifen is not used when you actually have the reaction but daily as a preventative.

Seems to be working atm.  Will try it with some beer in a month or so.

cheers